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Show it Bonaparte's Opinion of Russia. ' In spite of their early successes the Japanese may read and ponder with much profit the remarks of one Napoleon Bonaparte orWho subject of making mak-ing war upon Russia. During the few years' of captivity which pre-' ceded the death of the great orsican at St. Helena he took frequent occasion in his conversation to discuss the most striking features of his career. Practically all that he had to say on these subjects' has been preserved in various books written by those who were in his confidence at the time. In 'everything he said relative to his Russian campaign cam-paign he showed that he looked Upon that enter prise as the principal mistake of his lifo:and upon the Russians as a people whom even the greatest conquerors would better let alone. Thus: "It was making war upon Russia that ruined me." . . i "Russia is the nation most likely to march to universal domination." "I would not have declared war upon Russia but that 1 was persuaded she was about to deciare war upon me." "In the end Russia will become mistress of the world." "But for my marriage with Marie Lduise I would not have declared war upon Russia." (He expected assistance from Austria.) - "I am reproached forgot getting myself killed at Waterloo. I think I ought rather to have 'died in Russia. "Russia is in a favorable position to conquer the world. . "Perhaps I did wrong to commence the Waterloo Water-loo campaign." I did not think that Russia would tako o hand. "If I had had 200,000 more men in Russia there would have been that many more lost. - 'After I had reached Moscow I should have died there. ,,r. ,j , " These are the afterthoughts of a master of war v. ' who had conquered western Europo : and whose downfall ;dated from his'. ill-starred campaign against the Russians. . The" Japanese are not as yet attempting such an invasion as that undertaken by Bonaparte, but they are arrayed against tho same stolid foe, the samo innumerable hosts and the same enemy isolated iso-lated in snow and ice during thevgrcater part of tho year. ; So long as Japan confines its energies to the sea and to defensive operation on land it will not encounter the fury of the power which, almost without: with-out: pitched battles, was able to destroy the grand army of France and to cause the throne, of its military dictator to crumble. Its real perils will date from the moment that it begins offensive movements on, land." Chicago Chronicle. |